adam1uk

Congratulations! As you have an Eberspacher, this probably does your hot water and the radiators. It might be an idea to get that going before the weather gets really cold.

Not just to go down Pomona Lock to Salford Quays, no.

It was when we did it last year. You need to give at least 48 hours notice, IIRC, and they will only operate it at certain times, but it was easy to arrange. Decent mooring at Salford Quays, outside the Holiday Inn.

What's stopping you using Pomona Lock? Just phone up, book, and pay.

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/98615-13102018-major-outage/

There used to be a boundary, because for some reason right up to Foxton was part of the South East. But under the new structure, the whole of the Leicester Line is part of the East Midlands -- so now they only have to ask themselves to send more water down (which you'd think would make it easier...) When we were at Foxton back in May, just as the structure change happened, they were running loads of water down after the Foxton flight had closed.

It seems like a sensible plan to me. We had a share before we bought our own boat; you have to accept that there are some frustrations such as other owners moving everything in all the cupboards each time they're on board (!) but it's a cost effective way of getting several weeks a year afloat, and certainly a lot cheaper than hiring. You can often get more than your allocated weeks by bidding for extra ones, At the end of three years you can sell your share and are likely to get most of your initial layout back. Don't limit yourself to Carefree Cruising. Virtually every boat has shares for people who want school holidays. For ex-OwnerShips boats they're called Special Shares, and pay a bit extra in running costs each year in order to get school holidays. The way it works is that where-ever you are in the rota for selecting dates, you get first pick for school holidays. Look at the BCBM website for example, and look for boats with Special Shares for sale.

Well, Norbury’s price is usually very very similar — and Hawne Basin is usually cheaper than both of them.

I believe you can only edit posts for a limited time after you hit submit -- to prevent history being rewritten.

They're certainly not focused on the busiest times. A very good volunteer at Watford told me they had no trouble filling shifts midweek, but no-one wanted to do the weekends -- and the longest serving volunteers had begun pulling rank and claiming the midweek shifts they preferred. Likewise at the Soulbury Three, it's usually staffed midweek, but when the Wyvern hire boats come through at the weekend there isn't a volunteer to be seen.

Almost pointless grouping them by ‘manufacturer’, as you call it. The big shell builders will supply lots of different fitters, so the end results will be different. The top name fitters will be building bespoke and every single boat will be different. Boat’s are not like cars with a range of models nd a range of trims. The majority of boat’s are one offs, depending on the decisions made by whoever commissioned them.

My last experience at Hillmorton, I was on a boat waiting above the bottom lock with a boat coming up in it. The lock keeper was paying so little attention that she failed to notice that the young family on board had opened the paddles at both ends.

Jules and Richard are using Bletchley instead of Towcestervt the moment, as Towcester’s engine needs significant work. Richard told me that once it’s fixed, they will use the two boats to mean they can operate both sides of winter stoppages.

BSS guidelines here and Soliftec guidelines here both say the flue should be insulated. They are only guidelines, though, which is why I said ‘supposed to’. Certainly when I needed a new flue on my stove, the boat yard would only let it be a single wall one because they were replacing like with like. I’m not sure anyone is ever likely to check (or even know, probably), but if you want to abide by the latest guidelines, then it’s pretty clear what flue you should use (note, should, not must, because they are only guidelines)

If it's a double wall flue, then you are supposed to replace it with another one -- and they are expensive. If it's a single wall flue in an existing installation, you are allowed to replace like for like.

It may be up to the boater to make a declaration, but HMRC made clear there was nothing to stop yards selling at only one split. If the boater didn't like the split offered, they should shop elsewhere -- just like they would if they didn't like the price.

They only ever sold at a 60/40 split, so you may not have wanted to buy from them anyway.

There’s nothing to stop you going to Salford by boat, except for a bit of organisation and a fee for Pomona Lock. We did it last September. Nice mooring close enough to the Holiday Inn Express that you can easily get on their Wi-fi!

I’m surprised no-one has pointed out that the Four Counties and Llangollen options aren’t available to you, because of the breach on the Middlewich Arm. The Caldon is one of my favourites, and it gets better the further you go. Lots of locks to get there, so if you want an energetic week this could be a good option. I’m sure Anderton are fine about their boats going onto the Weaver. It’s lovely down there, and of course you get the trip down and up the boat lift. As others have said you could combine this with a trip into Manchester. There would be lots of lock free miles, so it depends whether your crew are happy to sit and watch the world go by, or whether they’d like more to do.